Equipment designed to regulate the flow of, preferably, a sterile liquid and a dishwashing liquid or a sterilizing agent

ABSTRACT

A valve structure for controlling the flow of a liquid in a pipe for filling packages and for controlling the flow of a liquid for cleaning the pipe whereby suitable separation is obtained and vapor seals are employed.

UnitedStates Patent [151 3,643,679

Hansson 1451 Feb. 22, 1972 [54] EQUIPMENT DESIGNED TO REGULATE THE FLOW OF, [56] References Cited PREFERABLY, A STERILE LIQUID AND UNITED STATES PATENTS A DISIIWASIIING LIQUID OR A 877,043 1/1908 Bowers 137/238 STERILIZING AGENT 1,035,516 8/1912 Ash1ey.... 137/238 1,624,573 4/1927 Bagby 137/241 x [72] Inventor:l v Jan Ingvar Hansson, Lomma, Sweden [73] Assignee: Tetra Pak International AB, Lund, FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Swede 1,064,244 12/1953 France ..137/63022 [221 Filed; May 26, 1970 Primary Examiner-M. Cary Nelson [21] APPL No' 40,540 Assistant Examiner-Richard Gerard Attorney-Pierce, Scheffler & Parker [30] Foreign Application Priority Data [57] y ABSTRACT June 26, 1969 Sweden 9059/69 A valve structure for controlling the now of a liquid in a pipe for filling packages and for controlling the flow of a liquid for [52] US Cl "137/ 241 137/607 137/63022 cleaning the pipe whereby suitable separation is obtained and [S l] Int. Cl. `.Flk 51/00 vapor seals are employed. [58] FieldofSearch B7/15,237, 238, 240, 241,

l37/630.22 17 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PAENTEDFEBHIS?? SHEET 2 0F 2 /N v'ErvTo'R Jam ngvar Hansson y ld Puk.

whereupon the transmission unit 3l of the piston motor, which in the filling position ofthe equipment has actuated the valve spindle 9 ofthe first valve unit 5 by means of a pull transmitted through the circlip 33 fitted on the unit 31-see FIG. Z-begins to move in a direction towards the valve spindle 9. As a result, the valve disc 7 fitted on the valve spindle 9 will be forced away from the second valve unit 6, owing to the fact that the spring 29, which in the filling position of the equipment is compressed, has` a chance to expand, since it is affixed between the valve unit 6 and the fixture 30 fitted on the inner valve spindle 9. Further expansion of the spring 29 is prevented when the circlip makes contact with the valve spindle of the valve unit 6, after which the valve units 5,6 are displaced simultaneously-the valve unit 6 by the circlip 33 and the valve unit 5 by the spring 29-with their valve discs 7 and 8 seating on valve seats 11 and 12 respectively. During this process, the valve disc 7 of the first valve unit 5 will reach its valve seat l1 a little before the valve disc 8 of the second valve unit 6 reaches its valve seat 12, which means that the spring 29 will be compressed somewhat. When the valve discs 7 and 8 are in contact with their seats 11 and 12 respectively, the equipment has assumed its dishwashing and/or sterilizng position, which 'means that inflow of the sterile goods to be packaged is shut ofi` and also that the washing and/or sterilizing agent is at the same time admitted into the valve from the pipe 4 through the opening 34, and also that there is formed a sealed and distinct space 13 mainly between the valve discs 7 and 8. At the same time that the valve discs 7 and 8 assumed their positions in the washing and/or sterilizng position of the equipment, the sealing rings 23, 24, 25 and 26, fitted on the valve spindles 9 and 10, also assumed positions such that the passages 17, 41, 19 and 40 as well as the ducts 18, 15 and 20 have become separated in such a way that passages to and.

from the space 13 have been created for the flushing agent.

The flushing agent, which in the present case is superheated steam, is admitted to the system through the supply pipe 21. The steam is thereafter transported to the space 13 through the passage 17 which is delimited by the sealing ring 26 and a sealing ring 28 fitted in the valve housing 1, and then Ato the duct in the inner valve spindle 9 through the duct 18 and the passage 4l which is delimited by the sealing rings 24 and 25. The exit route of the steam from the space 13 consists of the passage 19, one end of which is connected to the space 13 and the other end is delimited by the sealing rings 24, the duct 20 and the passage 40 which is delimited by the sealing ring 26 and a sealing ring 27 fitted in the valve housing 1.

During the time that the equipment is in the washing and/or sterilizng position, the piston motor unit 3l presses onto the valve spindle 10 through the circlip 33, so that seal between the valve disc 8 and the valve seat l2 is ensured. The seal between the valve disc 7 and the valve seat ll is guaranteed by two independent forces, namely the spring force and the steam pressure in the space 13. The steam, however, has another duty in the space 13, namely to flush and sterilize this space.

The passages 17, 40 and 19 and the sealing rings delimiting these passages, apart from their duties as communication routes, also serve as a steam seal. Since the said passages are always flushed through by the steam, which is neutral from the point of view of hygiene, in the positions of the valve shown, the passage of the valve units through the valve housing 1 will always be germfree in the washing and/or sterilizng position of the equipment.

The valve in the equipment, in the washing and/or sterilizng position shown, satisfies the minimum requirement that can be specified, namely that there should always be at least two seals between the goods to be packaged and e.g., a dishwashing agent, and that the space between the seals should be flushed by a cleansing agent, which agent in the present case consists of superheated steam which is capable of cleansing and sterilizng the said space.

When the packaging or filling machine has been cleansed and sterilized and is to start production again, the piston motor exerts a pull in the other direction,whereupon the circlip 33 moves away from the valve spindle 10, as a result of which the pressure of the valve disc 8 on the seat l2 eases and at the same time the spring pressure on the valve disc 7 decreases. Since the circlip 33 is in engagement with the inner valve spindle 9, the valve disc 7 and, via the spring, the valve disc 8 as well, is drawn down towards the valve seat 35-see FIG. 2-in order to seal off the passage 34 and at the same time open the valve to admit and allow flow of the sterile goods through the valve. During this change in position of the valve units 5 and 6, the piston motor will continue to pull downwards the inner valve spindle 9 even after the valve disc 8 has come in contact with the valve seat 35, until such time as the valve disc 7 forms a seal around the top 36 of the valve disc 8. The result of this is that the spring 29 will be compressed and that the seal of the valve disc 8 with the valve seat 35 is guaranteed during this so-called filling position, both as a result of the fact that, all the time that the equipment is in this position, the piston motor maintains its pressure on the inner valve spindle 9 which forces the valve disc 8 down onto the valve seat 35 via thevalve disc 7, and also as a result of the compressed spring 29 exerting pressure.

At the same time that the valve units 5 and 6 have changed their positions, the sealing rings 23-26 fitted on the valve units have also assumed new positions-see FIG. 2. The communication routes of the steam to the passages 17 and 14 and to the ducts 18 and 15 have therefore been closed. ln this filling position of the equipment, the duty of the steam, together with its new communication routes, is principally to act as a steam seal, in order that the passage of the valve units through the wall of the valve housing 1 should be kept germfree all the time in this position also. Steam is admitted to the system as before through the inlet pipe 21, but its circulation is different. Steam will thus circulate in the passage 40 and, through the duct 20, also inside the passage 19. Spread of the steam in the passage 19 is now limited by virtue of the fact that sealing ring 23 shuts off communication with the previous space 13 in the washing arid/or sterilizng position of the equipment.

One of the reasons why spread of the steam in the passage 19 is limited by the sealing ring 23 is to prevent the steam from having an opportunity of actuating the inner piston, and at the same time, together with the seal 39 between the valve disc 7 and the top 36 of the valve disc 8, to prevent leakage of the flushing agent into the product.

The equipment described and illustrated is capable of utilization in fields other than the sterile packaging industry, for instance in chemical engineering. It will vbe evident that this equipmentis especially useful in all piping systems where different substances are to be transmitted through the system at different times, i.e., where the various substances are to be separated. This is particularly the case where the substances are kept in adjacent spaces. lt must be pointed out once again that, despite its simple construction and operation, the valve has the particularly advantageous property of being capable of separating different substances by means of a double seal, and of offering the possibility at the same time of the space between the seals being flushed with a cleansing, dishwashing or sterilizng agent. These agents may naturally be substances other than steam. The agent to be used is dependent on the purpose for which the equipment is to be used, but a chemical catalyst or reagent may be quoted as examples.

The material of the valve housing and valve units is also dependent on the purpose for which the equipment is to be used, but in the preferred constructional version, the valve housing should preferably be made of acidand corrosion-resistant material, but such material that will not contaminate the foodstu' in question.

The construction and design of the equipment may naturally differ in a number of ways from that shown, without the idea underlying the invention being deviated from. The shape and extent of the passages may thus be different and also the design of the valve spindles and valve discs. The invention is therefore not limited to the case exemplified and by the variations mentioned, but only by the following claims.

lclaim:

l. A valve structure for controlling the flow of a first liquid through a pipe and for controlling the flow of a cleaning fluid through the pipe when the first liquid is stopped, comprising, a pipe, a first valve f'or controlling the flow of the rst liquid into said pipe, a second double-acting valve for controlling the flow of the cleaning fluid into said pipe, said second valve when open to the cleaning liquid being closed to the first liquid to supplement the closure of said first valve in serial dispositionv therewith, means for actuating said first and second valves whereby when said first valve is open said second valve is open to the first liquid and is closed to the cleaning liquid and when said first valve is closed to the first liquid said second valve is open to the cleaning liquid, said first valve and said second valve forming a space therebetween in the latter valving position which is sealed from said pipe and the cleaning fluid and means for flushing said space with a flushing agent.

2. A valve structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein said valve actuating means comprises concentric valve spindles, the inner spindle actuating said first valve and the outer spindle actuating said second valve.

3. A valve structure as claimed in claim 2 wherein said valve actuating means further comprises means for relatively displacing said concentric valve spindles.

4. A valve structure as claimed in claim 2 wherein said inner spindle is provided with an axial duct for supplying flushing agent to said space.

5. A valve structure as claimed in claim 4 and further comprising a housing, and wherein said concentric valve spindles pass through the wall of said housing and said concentric valve spindles are spaced from each other and the outer spindle is spaced from the wall of' said housing.

6. A valve structure as claimed in claim 5 wherein said concentric spindles and the wall of the housing are provided with seals spaced longitudinally along the axes thereof.

7. A valve structure as claimed in claim 6 wherein the said spindles are provided with ducts providing communication through the wall of the inner spindle and through the wall of the outer spindle.

8. A valve structure as claimed in claim 7 wherein the ducts and said seals provide passages for the flushing agent.

9. A valve structure as claimed in claim 8 and further comprising means for relatively displacing said concentric valve spindles whereby different passageways are established by said seals and ducts provided therein.

l0. A valve structure as claimed in claim 9 wherein passageways are provided for passage of the flushing agent to the space between said first valve and said second valve when said first valve is closed to the first liquid and the second valve is open to the cleaning liquid.

ll. A valve structure as claimed in claim 10 and further comprising means for limiting the passage of the flushing agent to the space between the inner and outer valve spindles when said first valve is open to the first liquid and the second valve is closed to the cleaning liquid.

12. A valve structure as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising a housing, said valve actuating means passing through the wall of said housing and means for surrounding said valve actuating means where it passes through said housing with the flushing agent.

13. A valve structure as claimed in claim l and further comprising valve seats in said pipe for said first valve and for both positions of said second double-acting valve.

14. A valve structure as claimed in claim l and further comprising means for applying an additional independent force to close said first valve to stop the flow of the first liquid into said pipe.

l5. A valve structure as claimed in claim l and further comprising spring means for urging the second valve to close off the cleaning liquid when the first valve is open to the first liquid.

16. A valve structure as claimed in claim 1 and further comrising spring means for urging the first valve to close off the irst liquid when the second valve is open to the cleaning liquid.

17. A valve structure as claimed in claim l wherein said first valve when open to the first liquid is in sealed engagement with the second valve when it is seated to close off the cleaning liquid. v

Auml "am 

1. A valve structure for controlling the flow of a first liquid through a pipe and for controlling the flow of a cleaning fluid through the pipe when the first liquid is stopped, comprising, a pipe, a first valve for controlling the flow of the first liquid into said pipe, a second double-acting valve for controlling the flow of the cleaning fluid into said pipe, said second valve when open to the cleaning liquid being closed to the first liquid to supplement the closure of said first valve in serial disposition therewith, means for actuating said first and second valves whereby when said first valve is open said second valve is open to the first liquid and is closed to the cleaning liquid and when said first valve is closed to the first liquid said second valve is open to the cleaning liquid, said first valve and said second valve forming a space therebetween in the latter valving position which is sealed from said pipe and the cleaning fluid and means for flushing said space with a flushing agent.
 2. A valve structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein said valve actuating means comprises concentric valve spindles, the inner spindle actuating said first valve and the outer spindle actuating said second valve.
 3. A valve structure as claimed in claim 2 wherein said valve actuating means further comprises means for relatively displacing said concentric valve spindles.
 4. A valve structure as claimed in claim 2 wherein said inner spindle is provided with an axial duct for supplying flushing agent to said space.
 5. A valve structure as claimed in claim 4 and further comprising a housing, and wherein said concentric valve spindles pass through the wall of said housing and said concentric valve spindles are spaced from each other and the outer spindle is spaced from the wall of said housing.
 6. A valve structure as claImed in claim 5 wherein said concentric spindles and the wall of the housing are provided with seals spaced longitudinally along the axes thereof.
 7. A valve structure as claimed in claim 6 wherein the said spindles are provided with ducts providing communication through the wall of the inner spindle and through the wall of the outer spindle.
 8. A valve structure as claimed in claim 7 wherein the ducts and said seals provide passages for the flushing agent.
 9. A valve structure as claimed in claim 8 and further comprising means for relatively displacing said concentric valve spindles whereby different passageways are established by said seals and ducts provided therein.
 10. A valve structure as claimed in claim 9 wherein passageways are provided for passage of the flushing agent to the space between said first valve and said second valve when said first valve is closed to the first liquid and the second valve is open to the cleaning liquid.
 11. A valve structure as claimed in claim 10 and further comprising means for limiting the passage of the flushing agent to the space between the inner and outer valve spindles when said first valve is open to the first liquid and the second valve is closed to the cleaning liquid.
 12. A valve structure as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising a housing, said valve actuating means passing through the wall of said housing and means for surrounding said valve actuating means where it passes through said housing with the flushing agent.
 13. A valve structure as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising valve seats in said pipe for said first valve and for both positions of said second double-acting valve.
 14. A valve structure as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising means for applying an additional independent force to close said first valve to stop the flow of the first liquid into said pipe.
 15. A valve structure as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising spring means for urging the second valve to close off the cleaning liquid when the first valve is open to the first liquid.
 16. A valve structure as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising spring means for urging the first valve to close off the first liquid when the second valve is open to the cleaning liquid.
 17. A valve structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first valve when open to the first liquid is in sealed engagement with the second valve when it is seated to close off the cleaning liquid. 